This invention relates generally to a fastener driving tool, and more specifically pertains to a fully indexable tool for use for driving fasteners or anchors into a hard and supporting surface, through the application of the explosive force generated from fully indexable strip of cartridges.
A significant number of a variety of apparatus for driving anchoring means are readily available and known in the art. In addition, such apparatuses are generally employed in the construction industry, and principally having application for driving of fasteners into those types of rigid surfaces which, under ordinary conditions, cannot otherwise have a nail or other anchoring means driven into them due to the heavy density of such surfaces. Examples of such surfaces as a concrete wall or floor, or various steel beams, studs, or the like, are of the type of surfaces into which the standard fastener cannot be applied, as through manual or other power tools, and therefore, require the usage and application of explosive force for driving the fastener instantaneously under significant pressures into these type of hardened structural components.
Examples of the type of prior art anchor inserting devices may be seen in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,494,532, to Bayer, et al, upon a piston return apparatus for an anchor means inserting device. As can be seen, a series of cartridges are longitudinally fed just beneath its barrel structure, through its parallel arranged port arm, for vertical shifting of each cartridge consecutively into a cartridge chamber in preparation for its firing. As can also be noted, there is the piston means arranged within its cylinder bore and which when subjected to the force of the fired cartridge is propelled forwardly for driving of an anchor into hard material. Another patent to Bayer, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,499,590, shows a related type of explosive actuated fastener setting tool.
The patent to Udert, U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,625, discloses another type of related explosive charge operated setting tool. As can be seen, in this particular instance, a series of cartridges held in a magazine are fed vertically into the direction of its barrel, for locating of its uppermost cartridge into its identified chamber, but as can be seen, it is the magazine part itself, as at its exteriorly tapered cylindrical projection 54 that is compressed within the cartridge chamber during firing. The magazine, with its plurality of cartridges, although, are automatically fed through the tool, during its usage, through the agency of its two-armed indexing lever, or feed lever, as identified.
A related type of magazine feeding mechanism for an explosive charge operated setting tool is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,554,425, to Oesterle. In this particular instance, the tool is very similar to that which is shown in the prior Udert patent, affording an upward indexing vertically through the handle of the tool, throught the use of its indexing lever arms, as can be noted.
Another fastener drive tool for caseless loads is explained in the United States patent to DeCaro, U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,964. In this particular embodiment, the apparatus is not structured as a pistol grip or gun style of fastener driving tool, but to the contrary, is more in the nature of a linear structured form of apparatus incorporating a ram for driving a fastener through the agency of an explosive load. It does not appear upon reviewing this document, though, that it incorporates any form of cartridge strip or magazine load for providing automatic resetting of the drive tool for subsequent reusage.
A further patent to Oesterli, U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,790, discloses another form of power control arrangement for an explosive power-driven setting gun. As can be noted, the function of this patented device apparently is to provide a means for setting and varying the volume of the combustion gases generated within the piston during the ignition of a cartridge while effecting an explosive power-driving of a fastener into a hardened surface, as can be seen pictorialy within the drawings for this particular patent.
Finally, another form of hammer drive tool is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,259, to one of the inventors of this current application, and which utilizes a single load power charge for driving of a fastener through the agency of a cylindrical ram or piston rod arranged for sliding movement through its barrel arranged bore, as noted. Indexing of subsequent charges through the hammer drive tool disclosed therein was not of consideration.
It is therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide a novel method for indexing of a cartridge strip through a tool or apparatus for repeat driving of fasteners into hardened surfaces.
Another object of this invention is to provide a fastener driving tool incorporating, in combination, a barrel cylinder means for locating within a tubular housing for the apparatus and which cooperate to provide for ease of resetting and application of the device for subsequent firings.
Another object of this invention is to provide a guard means proximate the forward end of the device and which functions to prevent an air firing, or misfiring, of the apparatus during usage.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a lateral feed under indexing arrangement for advancing a cartridge strip laterally through a fastener driving tool.
Still another object of this invention is to provide various carriage means operating in conjunction with an indexing wheel for providing the automatic resetting of a cartridge strip within a fastener driving tool in preparation for immediate subsequent applications.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide for the incorporation of a particle attractor within the structure of a fastener driving tool and which functions to attract debris and exhaust exiting from the apparatus during a firing, accumulates the debris therein, dampens the sound of the firing, and provides a convenient hand gripping means for facilitating the stable hold of the apparatus during its usage.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a fastener driving tool and which provides a cushioned back surface that not only functions to dampen the impact from recoil of the apparatus during its usage, but likewise forms a convenient cover for the various operating components, and the servicing tool storage compartment, operatively associated with an integrally formed within the handle for the apparatus.
Another object of this invention is to provide a cartridge feeding indexing mechanism that aligns each cartridge in contiguity within the firing chamber in preparation for the explosive driving of a fastener, while preventing the rearward or lateral discharge of any forces of combustion generated during a firing procedure.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a fastener driving tool that is fabricated from approximately four major and integrated components, which can be easily disassembled, with just a single or two tools, to facilitate the servicing of the device during and subsequent to its application.
These and other objects will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the summary of this invention, and upon undertaking a study of the description of its preferred embodiment, in view of the drawings.